The effect of topical steroid on postoperative corneal edema and endothelial cell loss after intracapsular cataract extraction.

In a prospective study of 89 patients the postoperative corneal edema and endothelial cell count was studied after cataract extraction. A double blind investigation was performed as the patients during the first 6 postoperative days were treated with three different types of eye-drops: Maxidex, Pred-Forte 1% or placebo, all containing Benzalkonium Chloride 0.004%. The content of steroid in Maxidex and Pred-Forte was equivalent. We found no significant difference in estimates of endothelial cells in the three groups postoperatively. Corneal edema was less in the two groups treated with steroid. There was no significant difference between the two postoperative groups (p > 0.05) treated with Maxidex and Pred-Forte. The group treated with Pred-Forte showed significantly less postoperative corneal edema, calculated as the graphical area represented by the increase of central corneal thickness (CCT) after operation.